Humidifying blanket



. March 25, 1952 s; B. r-Lms lHUMIDIFYING BLANKET Filed June 22, 1949 Patented Mar. 25, 1952 UNITED AsTMEs PATENT OFFICE.,

samuel B. Ellis, Long Island City, N. Y.

Application June 22, 1949, Serial No. 100,661

This invention relates to a type of humidifier adapted for use with steam or hot water radiators commonly employed for heating rooms, but it is also intended as a general purpose humidier suitable for various other applications. More particularly, this invention belongs to that class of humidiers which depend upon evaporation of water from the exposed area of a sheet material kept moist by absorbent action.

In cold weather the difference in the moisture content of fresh outdoor air, and the moisture which this same air can hold when heated to room temperature, is so great, that unless moisture is added during the heating, the relative humidity drops to undesirably low levels. The unnaturally low relative humidities commonly prevailing in heated interiors duringwinter time has been recognized as a problem for many decades, and that nothing really effective has been done to remedy the situation seems largely due to habit and indiiference. Actually, it is well known that inthe presence of adequate humidity both health and comfort are improved, while heating costs may be reduced because a lower temperature will satisfy the average person.

In the prior art many humidifying devices have been described which depend upon evaporation from the exposed areas of absorbent materials. In general these devices have comprised an absorbent sheet, either semi-rigid in itself, or rigidly supported in some kind of a metal reservoir or trough containing water. In some cases water was added at the top and allowed to flow downward across the absorbent sheet.

In the interest of high efliciency, a most important requirement in a radiator humidifier, and an object of the present invention, the maximum larea of moist surface should be positioned where it will receive the maximum of both heat and air convection. This requirement points toward placing the moist surfaces `as close as possible to the hot areas of the radiator, either between radiator sections or closely surrounding the radiator, but without stopping the natural upward movement of air.

. Another object, connected with convenience and appearance, is to provide a humidifying unit reduced to the ultimate limit of compactness, suitable for easy installation by the user on radiators of various sizes and shapes.

In line with the preceding objectives, the signicant feature of the present invention is the fact that an absorbent sheet is combined with a water feed channel in one compact indivisible unit which is entirely pliable, may be hung in a 4 Claims. (Cl. 299-20) narrow space, bent into any shape, woven in and out between or around radiator sections, and generally adapted in this novel fashion to the requirements of a radiator humidifier or similar application. Because of its complete exibility and manner of use, the particular humidifying unit may appropriately be termed a humidifying blanket.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the humidifying blanket detachably connected to a water reservoir at constant head.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of the humidifying blanket, taken on the line l2-l2 of Fig. 1,.

Fig. 3 is a top view indicating one manner of application by interweaving between the sections of a radiator.

Fig. 4 isa top view indicating another manner of use by wrapping around the outside of a radiator.

The humidifying blanket is composed essentially of three parts, Figures l and 2,: `an absorbent sheet I made of some pliableporous material such as cloth; a water channel 2 consisting of a pliable Water retaining cover for the bottom portion of the blanket, madel of plastic or rubber sheet; a hose nipple 3 of metal or plastic, passing through the water retaining cover, joining with the interior of the water channel, and adapted-for detachable connection with the water feed line 4. The water retaining cover 2 is attached to the bottom of the blanket in such fashion that it forms a long narrow channel capable o f holding water and feeding the absorbent sheet labove it. The three parts of the humidifying blanket together comprise a single indivisible unit which, so long as it is maintained in a relatively level position to avoid overflow, may be bent and manipulated to conform with various shapes, and may be suspended or supported in numerous ways depending upon the circumstances.

In constructing the humidifying blanket, there is seldom need for leaving an open space inside the water channel 2 for the purpose of expediting water iiow, although this can be done if desired. Actually, if the water absorbent sheet I projecting into the channel is su'iciently thick and porous water will flow fast enough to feed the blanket. However, to insure adequate flow, and also to avoid pinching oif the channel by a sharp bend, it is best to enlarge the lower portion 5 of the absorbent sheet so as to maintain a somewhat enlarged cross section inside the lower portion of the channel.

The water retaining cover 2 should be attached to the absorbent sheet l in such a way as to lavoid bulging when the channel is filled with water. One method of accomplishing this is to rst sew a layer of the waterproof sheeting to the absorbent sheet. A second layer of the waterproof sheeting can then be cemented to the rst layer.

Concerning physical dimensions, it should be noted that while water will rise to considerable heights by capillary action, the process tends to become slow beyond about six inches. Therefore, for the purposes of an eincient humidifier, there is little to gain in making the absorbent sheet I higher than about six inches above the top of the water channel 2. The channel itself should be deep enough for convenience in avoiding overflow so that leveling is not critical. A. depth of three to four inches has been found satisfactory in practice. The length of the humidifying blanket may be suited to specic requirements, which makes the present design a very adaptable one. Lengths up to tenfe'e't have been used with entire' satisfaction, and this length could probably be extended somewhat. However, too great a length may become somewhat cum'- bersome, and may require an additional water feed line for best efficiency. A second blanket Would probably be more satisfactory.

In actual use the humidifyingblanket may be adapted to a greater variety of situa-tions, and this is one of its important advantages. Fig. 3indicates one method of application to a conventional radiator, by Weaving the' blanket-6 back and forth between the radiator sections 1. In this position the moist surfaces are continually exposed to both heat and air currents, so that the entire area of the blanket is utilized at! high einciency and evaporation is rapid. In FigA the blanket 6 is simply wrapped around theoutsi'de of the radiator 1. Though evaporation is somewhatl slower than that of Fig. 3, it is nevertheless substantial, and the arrangement may be' more convenient incertain instances'.

A familiar type o'f constant head water feed device shown by Fig. 1 consists of a bottle' 8 in#- verted with its opening 9 establishing the water level. The supporting tank containsa hose nipple IlA below the water level which allows dtachable connection with theA humidifying blanket. Other constantlevel water feeddevices could be used, and automatic types which are supplied continuously from the water mainV have obvious advantages.

While the humidifying blanket isintendedpri'- 4 marily for use in vaporizing Water into an enclosed space, it is entirely conceivable that other liquids might be vaporized in the same fashion. Merely changing the liquid does not alter the principle, and the present description is intended to cover the general case.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a humidifying device, a sheet of pliable water absorbent material, said absorbent sheet having attached across its bottom portion a pliable Water retaining cover forming a narrow channel for holding water in contact with the sheet, said channel being supplied with water through a fitting on said cover, the complete unit being ilaccidly subject to bending, folding, or winding into various shapes.

2. In a humidifyi'ng device, a cloth sheet, enclosed across the bottom portion by a pliable water retaining cover attached to the cloth, said cover forming a narrow channel for holding water in contact with the bottom of the cloth, and cover being iitted with a hose nipple for connecting with a constant head water source, the entire assemblage constituting one indivisible humidifying unit pliable enough to conform with intricate shapes.

3. In a device for vaporizing liquid, a sheet of pliable material capable of absorbing the liquid, said absorbent sheet being enclosed across a bottom portion by a liquid retaining pliable cover attached to the sheet, said cover forming a nar-V row channel for holding liquid in contact with the absorbent sheet, and a connecting means for Y leading liquid into the channel from a source at constant head, the complete unit being capable' of flaccid conformation to desired shapes.

4f'. A humidifying element comprising a pliable water absorbent sheet, a pliable water feed y channel attached across the bottom of said sheet,

and a water inlet for said channel, the entire unit being suciently ilaccid that it may be disposedin any desired shape compatible with maintaining the water feed channel level.

i SAMUEL B. ELLIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,109,567 Clifford Sept. 1, 1914 1,190,395 Flory et al. July 1l, 1916 1,934,204 Neiburger Nov. '7, 1933 2,253,237 Irwin Aug. 19, 1941 

